


hunter

by swanfairie



Category: Original Work
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-06
Updated: 2020-08-06
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:47:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25748377
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/swanfairie/pseuds/swanfairie
Summary: backstory for my original character, lainie.
Kudos: 2





	hunter

**Author's Note:**

> there's blood and death. fair warning

Tonight is the night.

The girl, alone in her bedroom, begins to get ready. She laces up each layer of her dress with quick and practiced movements - she's been preparing for this for a long, long time. She knows her routine by now. Petticoats, overskirt, corset. Layer by layer until everything is as it should be.

Her hair doesn't need much taking care of; a simple comb is enough. It's too short to pin up in one of the popular styles of the day, but she takes care of it, and she's made sure it's always silky enough to catch the light.

Makeup is a breeze, too. A little rouge on the cheeks, and dark-lined eyes. It's not what most girls would go for, she knows that, and that's half of why she favours it. Stand out from the crowd.

A few accessories are added, and she steps back to look at herself in the mirror. Dressed to impress, truly. Tonight will be the night that changes her life, she thinks to herself, but of course those lingering doubts at the back of her mind choose now to float to the top of her mind. After all of this, will he take notice of her? What if he just passes her by as if she was any other girl?

No time for that now. No time for self-doubt, no time for baseless worries, no time for any of it. Time to go. Time to make her move.

She steps out into the streets, heels clicking on the cobbles as she takes in the evening-turning-night air. The day is far from over, despite the darkness. She's not the only one dressed up nicely. A few people look at her in surprise, and a couple even stop and stare. The dress she's wearing is handmade and quite a statement, so she can't blame them.

Down main street, turn left at the bakery and right at the tavern, that's where he'll be. She walks with purpose and a loudly beating heart.

She follows her route, and - there! There he is, wearing his best waistcoat and a crisp white shirt under. His hair in the light of the street lanterns looks almost glowing gold, and he's alone, waiting for his friends to arrive.

As she parades past him, each step perfectly calculated, he calls out, and her heart skips a beat. She turns just a little and flashes him a charming, knowing smile, then continues on her walk. Behind her she hears footsteps following, him following. He calls out again.

Best not to answer just yet. Follow the plan. Always, always follow the plan. She leads him through the emptier streets. He makes a few more remarks about her dress, her hair, her complexion. She makes no response.

He follows her through the darkening village, through smaller and smaller alleys, until he turns a corner and there's a dead end, and she's gone. Where did she go..? He begins to walk forward again, squinting his eyes to try and combat the darkness.

_she approached under midnight and knelt before her queen_

The girl watches from the shadows, watching, waiting, waiting for her chance

_and the queen whispered "you have done well, child"_

Now she takes a step forward, and another, soundless

_"you have passed my trials with flying colours. take this"_

And another, and another, until she is right behind him and he has no idea

_and the queen held out a dagger with a strange dark sheen_

And she turns him around and plunges her dagger into his heart

_"take this, and kill your tormentor. kill the one that calls you by the name you cast aside"_

And she watches as the life leaves his eyes and she sinks to the ground as he does because oh, what has she done, what has she _done-_

_this is your last trial. i know you will not fail me. take the dagger, lainie hunter, and kill him, and my power will pass to you_

And the blood pools onto the cobbled ground of the alleyway and soaks into her new skirt and stains her skin and her head spins because her queen never lies, and now she holds power she barely understands and the scariest thing of all is that she regrets nothing, nothing at all.

She stands, wiping the dagger on a clean part of her petticoat. A flurry of feathers settle on her shoulder. Her sentinel is here, a raven just for her. Her vision has sharpened, and she feels her own new wings heavy on her back.

The body is never found, and Lainie Hunter disappears without a trace.


End file.
